Suyash Agrawal

For a decade and a half, Suyash Agrawal has handled high-stakes trial and appellate litigation.

A member of the trial bar of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Suyash is a stand-up trial lawyer who handles all aspects of complex civil litigation—from pre-suit investigation and discovery through dispositive motion practice and trial. He deals with post-trial proceedings as well as appeals. Suyash’s experience has extraordinary breadth. He has worked on cases involving myriad areas of law including: accounting malpractice, antitrust, art law, bankruptcy, breach of contract, business torts, class actions, deceptive trade practices, defamation, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, energy, false advertising, FCC law, fiduciary duties, fraud, fraudulent transfers, HUD regulations, gaming and casino law, insurance coverage, the Lanham Act, maritime law, mergers and acquisitions, oil and gas law, patent infringement, real property transactions, shareholder oppression, trade secret misappropriation, and unfair competition.

Suyash has represented plaintiffs and defendants in jurisdictions around the country. He has recovered more than $200 million for plaintiffs and successfully defended claims seeking over $400 million. Over just the past few years, his business clients have included such well-known companies as Honeywell International Inc., Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, Duet Asset Management, Ltd., and Grosvenor Americas. He also represents mid-market and emerging businesses as well as individuals.

Before joining Massey & Gail LLP, Suyash founded and managed Agrawal Evans LLP, a commercial litigation boutique in Chicago. Before that, he was an equity partner at Susman Godfrey LLP where he was elected to partnership after only five years of practice.

Suyash has earned the respect of those he represents as well as his adversaries in the courtroom. Clients describe him as a “rare kind of lawyer” and “a passionate advocate” who is “critical to crafting and brilliant in executing” legal strategy. Former opposing trial counsel have called him “formidable,” “tough,” “highly capable,” “prepared and persuasive.”

Suyash graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Bucknell University and received his law degree with honors from The University of Chicago Law School. He was a member of The University of Chicago Law Review and a winner of the Thomas R. Mulroy Award for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy. After law school, Suyash clerked for the Honorable Jacques L. Wiener, Jr., on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Suyash is married to Monika Nalepa, a political science professor at The University of Chicago. Together, they live in Kenwood with their daughter. He serves on the boards of Planned Parenthood of Illinois and the American Constitution Society’s Chicago Lawyer Chapter. He is an active alumnus of The University of Chicago Law School and a volunteer attorney with the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago.

Education

The University of Chicago Law School, J.D., with honors

Bucknell University, B.A., Economics & History, magna cum laude

University of Oxford, visiting student

Clerkship

Law Clerk, Hon. Jacques L. Wiener, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

Prior Experience

Susman Godfrey LLP (New York & Houston)

Agrawal Evans LLP (Chicago)

Languages

Hindi

Representative Trials

Represented a world-famous artist and his art dealer in federal court in Chicago over the artist’s right to deny attribution of a painting that he did not author. Following three years of extensive litigation and a full bench trial on the merits, the trial court found in the artist’s favor on all claims.

Represented the owners of a television station license valued at over $70 million in a breach of contract and minority shareholder oppression action in a jury trial in federal court in Austin, Texas. The case settled on confidential terms while the jury was deliberating.

Represented an energy company seeking to purchase two blocks of stock worth more than $70 million in a liquid propane pipeline company in a multiparty bench trial in Houston, Texas. The court found in favor of Suyash’s client on all issues.

Represented a Florida law firm in federal court in Miami in a protracted bench trial over attorney’s fees in a class action. The court awarded Suyash’s clients, a small firm of three partners, over $50 million in fees.

Defended a national home builder in a multi-million dollar mass action brought by over 100 home buyers claiming fraud and deceptive trade practices in an eight-week arbitration in Dallas, Texas. For the homeowners who received any recovery, the arbitrator awarded them a small fraction of the damages they sought. The remaining claimants were awarded nothing or settled on confidential terms.

Represented a U.S. distributor of electronics components in a five-week jury trial on claims of breach of contract and tortious interference against Chinese manufacturers of electronic capacitors in state court in Los Angeles, California. The jury awarded Suyash’s client approximately $4 million in damages.